The peak of COVID-19 infections in Mexico is currently expected to be May 8th, according to a report which came out yesterday. They’re expecting the end of mandatory safe distancing on June 25th. That date is tentative and it’s unclear exactly what that’ll mean. For our purposes, that June 25th date suggests no public lucha libre at least for six more weeks.
AAA held a virtual press conference today to hype the last Lucha Fighter episode. It does not seem like this conference was streamed publicly yet – maybe it’ll turn up on one of their social media outlets by the end of the day – so I’m going off the comments of the press who were invited. I think it’s still going on as I post this but it seems like it’s mostly just wrestler hype interviews at this point.
The big news involves some announced matches. Last week’s Lucha Fighter episode was promoted as the semi-finals, but there are even more semi-finals to come. Chessman will take on Psycho Clown in one and LA Park and Pentagon Jr. in the other. Park/Pentagon is the first time in Mexico singles match (they’ve had it twice in MLW), while Chessman/Psycho Clown hasn’t happened since 2015. The winners will face off again to determine the men’s winner that night, joining the Laredo Boy/Dinastia and Lady Shani/La Hiedra matches. No other matches were announced, so this appears to be a relatively quick show around an hour long.
What comes after that for AAA remains open question. AAA said they’re not going to make any announcements about their major shows at the moment, waiting for more direction from the relevant health organizations. Verano de Escandalo was scheduled for May 23rd and was quietly moved September 12, though AAA hasn’t acknowledged that change (but hadn’t started promoting the original date either.) It’s tough to tell based on that quote if that means AAA is thinking about continuing doing closed shows as TV tapings or if Saturday’s Lucha Fighter episode will be the last until the restrictions are reduced.
It appears Fenix will be back on AEW Dynamite soon. They’re taping two episodes tonight (one for tonight, one for next week) in Jacksonville, so he could be appearing on either or both. The taping will also set up their PPV in a couple of weeks, so it’s possible AEW has plans for a Fenix match there.
Fenix has lived in San Diego for the last couple of years – his wife is originally from the area – so this is not a case of him being able to travel from Mexico. Pentagon lives in Mexico, which has allowed him to appear on Lucha Fighter but means he’s unable to travel to the US until the border travel ban is lifted (currently listed as May 19th.)
AEW’s Road To show teased a TH2 (Jack Evans & Angelico) versus Best Friends feud. I think Angelico’s relocated to the US (edit: I may be wrong about this!) but Evans is still living in Mexico at last check. It’s possible he’s been able to come into the US as a US citizen but it may mean he would not be able to return to his family until the ban has been lifted. Angelico & Jack Evans were standing in front of a similar background though not together – I suppose it could mean Evans is already in the US and they were just taking turns holding the phone. I have no idea but it did strike me as surprising watching that.
This year’s Expo Lucha, scheduled for August 2020, has been postponed until June 2021. They’re do not believe they’d be able to hold the event as scheduled in Philadelphia this year. It’s good of them to announce this decision in May rather than hold out hope until later; it gives people planning on attending plenty of notice to change their own plans (or not make them in the first place.)
NJPW officially canceled their upcoming tour, from May 12 to June 6th. This seemed inevitable once Japan extended its lockdown through the end of this month. That tour was for the Best of the Super Juniors, though technically is only the tour that is canceled. It’s possible the tournament itself could be rescheduled later in the year, though also not guaranteed.
On the other hand, Dragon Gate will be running its own annual King of Gate tournament as a series of empty arena shows. Diamante will be participating in what is a single-elimination tournament with a second change battle royal this year. Diamante faces Dragon Kid in round 1, a match which will air on Friday. He’s been in Japan since the last Dragon Gate tour ended.
Hijo del Dr. Wagner says he was left in tears after winning the NOAH GHC Tag Team Championships. Getting the biggest win of his career but having no family or fans there brought out strong emotions in him.
Dorian Roldan will be part of a video interview about sports business Thursday afternoon.
Reporte Indigo has an interview with Sanson. He’s looking for a three versus three apuesta match with NGD.
The Mexico City lucha libre commission was handing out a basket of food and other necessities this week.
LuchaCentral launched their new shop this week.
Dr. Wagner Jr. and the rest of his family will be holding a FIFA tournament with other wrestlers on YouTube. The channel mentioned (http://youtube.com/legadowagner) doesn’t seem to exist (though the Facebook does). The +LuchaTV post about it stays the channel will debut on Friday at the start of the tournament. I’ve had to do some fact-finding about new YouTube channels and noticed that the service makes new users wait 24 hours before they’re able to live stream so I hope they’re literally not starting the channel on Friday.
Lucha Va Voom posted about an hour special as part of a charity drive. This is more highlights of both the wrestling and the dancing, but it’s rare for their shows to be available on video in any form.
RobViper looks back at May 6th in lucha libre history.
Add Canelo Casas and Chetumal’s Factor Rudo to the list of people making lucha libre themed mouth coverings
Villano III Jr. has also launched his own YouTube channel, though you wouldn’t know it was a Villano III one at the moment.
+LuchaTV has this week’s podcast. You’ll want to jump about 10 minutes into that one for when they get it going.
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